


She was named after a bird

by JinxedPanda



Category: Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016), Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
Genre: Diary/Journal, How Do I Tag, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28523595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JinxedPanda/pseuds/JinxedPanda
Summary: Her mother may have been named after a bird and she may look like her mother, but Ibis is not her mother.
Relationships: Raven/Damian Wayne
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	1. Ibis

# She was named after a bird

_May 13th 20–-, age 17_

My father once told me that my mother was an angel. My brother said she was the embodiment of a rainy day. My sister said that she could wage the fiercest storm and still be calm. I was told she was named after a bird.

I never knew my mother. I wish I had, for all I have are stories. My uncle told me to write. So here I am writing. My mother loved stories. All the books in our library have her name in them, her reviews of them when she finished them. There is only one book she did not finish. We aren’t allowed to touch that book. I know, I tried. Father was upset with me. I was only eleven when I happened upon it.

I had read all the other books in the library that summer. It was easy since I had no friends and my family was busy with other things. It is easy to be a ghost within these halls. I slept in the library and read until my eyes shed tears and my head swam with words. The last book I came across after my journey through our library was small, not very well worn and it’s spine showed lack of use. ‘Perfect,’ I thought, 'a fresh book.’ My father made sure to visit me twice a day, at noon and at supper time. When he found me to call me to supper he was flown in a rage.

I was halfway to mother’s point in the book, I was enjoying it immensely. The language was fun and the characters were fleshed. All the makings of a good book. Father saw me, asked what I was reading, and when I folded the book to reveal the cover I swear he looked as if a casket was awaiting him. He did not yell, he did not scream, but in a strained voice full of so much emotion he told me to put it back where it came from. Of course, I questioned him, I had no reason not to, especially since I enjoyed the book. He said nothing but his face said everything.

I never finished that book. Even when I saw it at shops, I never have finished it.

**—————–**

_May 30th 20–-, age 17_

My Uncle says I look the most like my mother. Sure both of my siblings and I have dark hair, but it would be impossible not to the punnet squares agree. I don’t just have my mother's eyes he said, I have her posture, her coloring, even the same bone structure. He swears we could be twins. 

I know father sees it. It is why he has grown sad as I have aged. Brother says he can see it as well, especially my eyes. Sister does not care. 

I refuse to tell my father of my powers. I fear he will shatter. I have been able to feel others' emotions all my life. The first emotion I truly remember was sorrow. It filled every open space, clung to walls and skin, suffocated me for years. I was told I would cry a lot as a little one. It was the sorrow, I drowned in it, suffocated in it. There was nothing else I could do.

I have been able to move things since I was a tot. Small things like blocks or plush animals. Though now I can move much greater things; cars, small cottages, animals, people. I know I have tried. Not with my hands, for I do not have the physical strength for such things, but with my mind. 

I started flying when I was 3. I know because my Uncle was so afraid. Uncle Jason had been babysitting me for the first time, he is my favorite. Suddenly after staring at the television I started to fly, giggling and upside down is how he found me. He immediately called Uncle Richard. Father was never informed of my flying. I do fly from time to time, not as often as I would like, but enough to keep it well versed.

I figured I was able to teleport when I was six. Sister was mad at me for one thing or another and I created a portal and shoved her in it. She was not amused. She didn’t tell father though, I believe she knew it would kill him. The first time I teleported myself was when I wished to escape a party my family was hosting, I wanted to go to my room and read, so I created a portal in a dark corner and walked myself through. I ended up in the back part of the gardens.

The first time I astral projected myself was to eavesdrop. It was a couple of years ago, I knew I could do it before then but never needed to. Father and my uncles were arguing over something, actually about me, and I wanted to know what was happening.

Yes, I was 12-13 years old at the time. I had just started puberty and was struggling to keep control of my emotions so that my powers would not explode. Neither of my siblings inherited my mother’s powers, lucky fools. They also were quite a bit older than me at the time. I believe brother was finishing college and sister was just starting.

Uncle Richard had asked me if I wished to join the family business so to speak. I declined. I have no interest in those things. I want to read, write, draw and play my instruments. Being a hero is dangerous. Look at what happened to my mother. Uncle was convinced father planted those seeds in my head. He did not. 

Father did not wish me to be a hero (I agree it seems tedious, especially when one could just kill the enemy). Uncle Richard wanted to try and train me. Uncle Jason asked what I wanted and said what I wanted should be what happened. Uncle Tim said that if I had inherited my mother’s powers that I would be useful.

It seemed like the family was at war.

I was with Uncle Jason later when I told him that I knew of their, well, battle. He said that if I did not wish to join I would not have to. He bought me ten books that day. Three were in French, two in German, two in Spanish, and three in Arabic. He also started gifting me my mother’s old tomes. Her spell books, journals, everything to do with her powers and magic. He truly is the best uncle.

**—————–**  


_June 5th 20–-, age 17_

  


It seems that someone has snitched. I truly hate my cousins. I never have liked them. The majority of them are loud and annoying. 90% of them are also at least a decade older than I am too. 

My least favorite cousin (she does not deserve her name to be used, that bitch), has informed my father of my powers. That did not go over well. He asked how long I knew I had them and all the usual questions. I answered honestly, no use in lying. He was upset, which is an understatement, that I had not informed him sooner. I told him exactly;

“Father, I knew that if I told you your emotions would sour and that look you have whenever you think I am not looking would appear more and more. I do not wish sorrow on you father, and if I told you, you would look at me as if I am her.”  


So tonight while father is being ‘The Dark Knight’ or whatever, I am cutting my hair. Shaving more like. I am shaving half of it off and dying the tips of the remaining hair red. I never rebel, but I am sure as soon as everyone knows, in the hero community, of my powers that I will be faced with many many annoying, pompous, supers trying to direct me. Father may even let them

I would get a piercing but my sister said that once she was in town she would go with me. I am not my mother. She may have been named after a bird and I may also be named after a bird, and we may possess the same features in many ways, but I am not her. Father will see. The supers will see. I will not be forced to become a hero. I will not succumb to anyone.

My name is Ibis and I will not be my mother.

  


  


  


  


——————————–


	2. Yours Entirely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian and his point of view

How could I have missed this? Something so glaringly obvious, something so vital. Ibis has always been like you why would now be any different. She has had your gifts for years. YEARS! I have only just found out, beloved. All because one of Richard’s children wished to create tension. I can understand why our youngest cannot stand that girl. Yet I cannot understand how or why she kept this from me.

Ibis said it was so I would not grieve you more, said that a look of sorrow has glazed my face more and more these past few years. That I know is true, but I still wish she would have told me. She is all the best parts of you. She has your eyes, your personality, everything. I know she is so much more than just you but whenever I look at her I see you.

Todd keeps telling me that I need to introduce myself to her as her and not as our child, your child. That is and will not be easy to do, but I know it is what you would want. So I shall try.

I will love you forever. Until we meet again, beloved.

Yours entirely,  
Damian

\----------------------------------

It seems that getting to know our youngest as herself will not be as hard as I first believed. I do not know whether I should feel relieved or if I should crumble as I feel at this moment. I had not really seen our dear Ibis for a couple of days. Thanks to the job and my job. Today we got the chance to eat breakfast together before she went off to school. I cannot begin to describe the shock, bewilderment, and possible horror I felt when I first laid sight on our child.

Half of her hair was gone! Leaving only stubble behind in its wake! The other half was partially dyed a blood-red! I never would have suspected this from her. It does seem very her though, and I cannot say that I love her any less because that would be a lie. If this is how she believes she can differentiate herself then I have no qualms with it. I just hope that if she marks her skin permanently that she may give me a heads up. I do hope I am better at parenting than father was. I even complimented her look, as I said it suits her. She may have been surprised but like you, she has trained to not show it at all.

Many of the heroes from the league have been asking about Ibis. They now know what was long questioned and I fear for her. I do not wish for Ibie to join our line of work. I know she has voiced that she would hate being part of such things. I guess to everyone having such power and not using it for good or even bad may be a waste. I do not see it that way. I know you have told me many times of life on Azarath, a majority of not all the citizens possessed powers like you and Ibie. Not all of them used their powers for good or evil, they had them and lived everyday lives. I truly wish that for Ibis.  
I know I have told you before that Grayson wishes to train her. I cannot understand why. This family has enough heroes as it is. All his children, all of Drake’s kin, and even two-thirds of our family; all heroes. Why can’t he just let Ibis be free? You felt free by being a hero, but Ibis would be caged. A caged bird does not sing.

Moving on from such petulant topics, Ibis is starting her last year of high school soon. Time really flies. She wishes to go into the arts, and I fully support her in that. I know it's shocking, especially since I decided that pursuing art would hinder my future. Beloved she is talented. More talented than I ever could dream of being. Not just with paint and graphite, she can write stories like I have never imagined, she can play numerous instruments just at the sight of them. 

We have narrowed down the list of schools considerably, none of them close to Gotham. Close is relative truly. The top school on her list is in Providence, RI so that is not a terrible trip. The others are much farther. There are schools in Chicago, California, London, New York (though she would rather not go there), Berlin, Finland, Glasgow, even Beijing. 

I will miss her truly, but she needs to find her own place on this vast planet. I cannot push her, I will not. That does not bring happiness and that is all I want for our Ibie. Happiness.

God, I miss you. You would know exactly what Ibis needs, what I need. You could’ve helped Ibis so much. All I can do is try.

I love you as always and forever. Until we meet again my beloved.

Yours entirely,  
Damian

\----------------------------

Our son is trying to kill me. No, I am not being dramatic, love. Gideon asked me today for your ring. It is not that I do not like the person he wishes to spend the rest of his life with, I do indeed find them pleasant. It's just that I haven’t thought about the ring in years. I told him that he should get his beloved their own ring. That kept him at bay, he did not question me further. Do you still have the ring? I know that is a silly question to ask, but I still wonder if you wear it.

Adira has yet to bring home anyone of any interest to any of us. I believe Ibis said that ‘Dira may never settle down. Which in my opinion is much easier than meeting any potential spouses. For the longest time though she was harboring feelings for one of Logan’s children, that went nowhere. At least Logan will never be related to us, I have to see him enough as it is.

Ibis is probably the most like us when it comes to romance and dating. She is seventeen and has never had a boyfriend or girlfriend, not even secretly. I know that eventually, she may find someone, but I would like to dream a little longer. Though I do worry about her. She is definitely the most like us. She is usually in her room or the library and she doesn’t seem to have many friends. That isn’t a bad thing, as we both know, but even we spread our wings a bit more at her age. At seventeen Adira was sneaking out to go to parties if she wasn’t on patrol or with the Titans of course. If I was not there when Gideon was born I would say he was from Grayson’s side of the family. Do you remember all the friends he had that came to the manor when he was small? Believe it or not he kept all of them and gained more. He is quite gregarious. Should I worry about Ibis?

Grayson has recruited the Kents in their attempts to recruit Ibis. I still do not understand their motives behind such a crusade. Maybe this is an attempt at bringing you back? That would prove idiotic as you said yourself you cannot come back. I am not saying that I do not want you back by my side, beloved. I do, so very much, but if it means sacrificing our child? I would not wish for that. I would much rather find a solution so both of you could be here. Not to mention Ibis is still a child (she may not see it, and Grayson may not see it, but she is). She is not even in college, she has barely seen the world. You and I both have had more experiences in our teen years than I believe Ibis will ever have, and I am content with that.

Luckily we do have Todd on our side. Who has been spoiling Ibis for as long as I can recall. Though I must say he has been quite helpful in advising and educating our daughter. Do you know how many languages Todd has in his arsenal? I ask because I believe he has equipped our daughter with every single one. She is the only one of our children that speaks Arabic fluently. Sometimes when it is just the two of us we will just speak Arabic. Gideon tried learning in college but I believe he grew frustrated with it. Adira says that if she has her portable translator why would she ever need to be fluent in a language. Where did I go wrong? At least one of our children could go out in the world properly.

I miss you. I cannot place into words how much, but I hope you can understand. I know if you could, you would be here, by my side, by our children’s side. That does not aid the ache inside of my heart, beloved. If anything it cracks it wide open.

I wish I had more time to write this to you today. Truly my dearest I do. Sadly, Grayson and Drake have arrived in hopes of kidnapping Ibis, as an attempt to persuade her. I have to call Todd. I hope you can understand. I love you.

I will love you forever and always. Until we meet again, beloved.

Yours entirely,  
Damian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this chapter finds you all in good whatever that line is supposed to be. I may or may not continue this. If I do then I hope you all enjoy it. If not then the legacy ends here. I do post more on my Tumblr if any are interested it is JinxedPanda4Life. 
> 
> Be safe! Take care! Until we meet again!

**Author's Note:**

> I have never posted on here before. So this is quite new to me. I do not know if I shall continue this, but I had the spark to write.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it! Comment, suggest, talk? Anything is appreciated!


End file.
